The following scientist saved the British Fleet from scurvy in the XVIII century by suggesting citrus fruits in diet:

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

James Lind conducted the classic controlled trial in 1747 that demonstrated citrus fruits cure scurvy, so the correct choice is d. James Lind.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Scurvy is caused by deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), producing symptoms like bleeding gums, weakness, and poor wound healing.
- Clinical trials and controlled comparisons can identify effective treatments.
- Historical figures: James Lind (18th-century naval physician), Casimir Funk (coined "vitamine" in 1912), Linus Pauling (20th-century advocate of vitamin C megadoses), Frederick Gowland Hopkins (discovered dietary “accessory factors”/vitamins, Nobel 1929), Ilia Mechnikoff (work on immunity and probiotics).

2. Step-by-step reasoning process
- In 1747, while serving as a surgeon on HMS Salisbury, James Lind selected 12 sailors with scurvy and divided them into six pairs, giving each pair a different treatment (e.g., cider, elixir of vitriol, vinegar, seawater, a paste, and two oranges and a lemon).
- The pair given citrus fruits recovered rapidly; symptoms improved within days.
- Lind reported these observations and later (1753) published A Treatise of the Scurvy, recommending citrus in sailors’ diets.
- This empirical evidence linked citrus intake to recovery from scurvy, long before vitamin C was chemically identified.

3. Calculations
- No numerical calculations are required for this historical question.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- Lind’s controlled comparison directly showed citrus fruits cured scurvy, and his advocacy led to eventual adoption of citrus juices by the Royal Navy, preventing scurvy in sailors. His name is historically associated with the dietary prevention of scurvy.

5. Why other options are incorrect
- a. Casimir Funk: coined the term “vitamine” in 1912, not the 18th-century savior of the navy.
- b. Frederick (Gowland) Hopkins: early 20th-century biochemist who described dietary “accessory factors” (vitamins), not the 18th-century clinical trial.
- c. Linus Pauling: 20th-century chemist who promoted vitamin C, but lived much later and did not save the British fleet from scurvy in the 18th century.
- e. Ilia Mechnikoff: Nobel laureate known for work on immunity and probiotics, unrelated to the 18th-century scurvy cure.

6. Conclusion
The historical evidence and Lind’s 1747 trial confirm that the correct answer is d. James Lind, matching the provided answer.

The following scientist saved the British Fleet from scurvy in the XVIII century by suggesting citrus fruits in diet:Single choice

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